The Best Resorts in the World: 2018 Readers' Choice Awards

As we reviewed the results of this year's Readers' Choice Awards, tabulating the best resorts in the world, one thing became apparent: our readers' distinct sense of adventure. What's most notable this year has been your drive to go that extra bit further in your travels—Kangaroo Island off the southern coast of Australia, Brazil's Bahian beach town of Trancoso, and one of India's top tiger sanctuaries in Rajasthan. All told, you've chosen the most varied group of resorts we've ever seen. And, to our readers who still aren't sure whether to book that Vietnamese villa, or that room at a ranch out West, we say: what are you waiting for? Counting down...

Christina Ong’s hotels—the Turks and Caicos’s Parrot Cay, Bangkok’s Metropolitan—are all about detail, and Cocoa Island is no exception, from the reconditioned Vietnamese fans in the bar and restaurant to the signature bathroom products made by Baldwins, the renowned British herbalist. The 33 freestanding accommodations resemble a phalanx of dhonis (traditional Maldivian fishing boats), but the interiors are best described as New England beach hut meets National Geographic, with tongue-and-groove white walls and ethnic floor cushions.

If Kangaroo Island—an unspoiled 1,700-square-mile haven teeming with native animals—is Australia’s Galápagos, then the Southern Ocean Lodge is a very natural selection, with its recycled timber floors, soaring glass, and limestone. A thoroughly evolved eco-wilderness lodge, this 21-suite human sanctuary has panoramic ocean views from the pristine clifftop brushland it inhabits. The lodge takes full advantage of the natural abundance, and the rates include treks, evening "Kangaroos and Kanapés" excursions, and half-day tours that take in seal colonies, the island’s oldest lighthouse, and remarkable rock formations.

Set between Carmel and Monterey, this 1919 cream-colored lodge with green awnings and 13 multistory guesthouses is on the eighteenth green of the Pebble Beach Golf Links. Rooms have fireplaces and private decks overlooking the gardens, oceanside fairways, and Carmel Bay. There's more than enough to attract non-golfers, too. Spa treatments incorporate seaweed and other local ingredients. Recent renovations included the the addition of 38 rooms in aptly-named Fairway One.

Close your eyes and you’ll hear crashing waves from the Pacific Ocean outside your window. Open them, and you’ll see the rustic-chic indulgence of the Wickaninnish Inn, set on Vancouver Island’s western coast. Rich woods, stones, and leathers offset First Nations-inspired design touches and flowy fabrics in rooms that feel like the world’s most luxurious country cabins. They’re a striking material contrast to the retreat's majestic setting, among colossal cedars and spruces in the planet’s largest remaining old-growth temperate rainforest.

This casually luxurious eight-tent getaway is great for gatherings of up to 16 (and slightly larger groups upon request), replete with rounds of sundowners and festive bush dinners under the stars. A nearby spring attracts a resident lion pride also looking for a cool drink. The family of owners Richard Roberts and Liz Fusco have been in Kenya for decades (Richard is a third-generation safari expert and conservationist); the couple built Richard’s Camp as a home away from home in 2006, which gives it the feeling of a private getaway.

The Resort at Pedregal needn’t work too hard to impress—that much is clear from the moment you set foot in the 900-foot torch-lit tunnel entrance and, after snaking through, suddenly find yourself on the heels of the Pacific. Enveloped by short, craggy hills on 24 pristine acres of Baja California beachfront, the upscale spot is practically floating in open waters, and in fact, it’s tricky to distinguish the hotel’s infinity pool from the brilliant blue body of water behind it. The Mediterranean village-inspired enclave has a rustic, serendipitous beach vibe that makes you feel like you just stumbled on the place, and luckily so.

It’s all about the views at this hotel, which is on the Krabi coastline and has astonishing vistas of the Andaman Sea. Here, 54 sumptuous suites and villas sit amid tropical gardens and serpentine moats, but the extensive grounds have a downside: The property is not conducive to exploring by foot, and guests are urged to phone ahead for a chauffeured golf cart ride. Rooms are Dubai-level lavish, with interiors of cream granite and white linen. The bathrooms have lotus-shaped sinks, double-headed rain showers, and outdoor tubs, and most rooms have massive beds.

Hidden among fisherman’s casas painted cobalt-blue, pink and pistachio bordering Trancoso’s sleepy village square, where the town’s elders gather to shoot the breeze, Uxua is almost imperceptible to passersby. The only giveaway is the tables of smart Cariocas and international hipsters sipping passionfruit caipirinhas while watching the early evening scene unfold on the Quadrado. Golden light catches the locals playing football around the whitewashed 16th-century church. This is just how expansive Dutch owner Wilbert Das (Diesel’s former creative director) likes it. Surrounded by dense rainforest and teetering high on a ridge overlooking the powder-sand fringed Atlantic, Uxua fits right into the post-hippie utopia of Trancoso. Working with local artisans, Das has turned the hotel into a collection of rustic renovated casas, cottages, an intimate treehouse, and a tribal-inspired spa. All are cloaked by hummingbird-flecked tropical gardens and centered around a pool lined with green aventurine quartz, which, for those not up on their healing crystals, is said to be very therapeutic. Interiors are haute-boho: roomy indoor-outdoor sitting rooms and airy living spaces with dazzling-white walls and muslin-canopied beds, accented with lots of reclaimed wood, antiques, and vintage finds including brightly painted Virgin Mary statuettes. A decked path runs through mangrove forests to the beach, where there are enormous day beds for post-breakfast snoozing and a beach bar fashioned from an old fishing boat—just stay horizontal and another Caipirinha will soon find its way to you. This is the South American coastal retreat that’s on everyone’s radar.

Expect Outer Banks architecture like cedar-shake siding at this beachfront retreat where the location alone makes it an ideal getaway. Accommodations, which were recently refreshed, are airy and chic—think sand-colored linen headboards, warm wood floors, and the occasional in-suite fireplace—and are spread throughout three inns. Check out Kimball’s Kitchen, where locally sourced meat and seafood are as much of a draw as the views of the sound, as well as The Beach House Lobby Bar and Sandbar, with fresh-baked pastries on hand at the former, and poolside drinks at the latter.

Cabo San Lucas is a town full of resorts that are either too fusty, too fancy, or too family-friendly, but Chileno Bay is the rare option that feels both sophisticated and hip. Follow the throng of weekending thirty-somethings to the resort's cool open-air restaurant, or to a little taco shack on the beach with an excellent selection of small-batch mezcal.

Many view the Sacred Valley as a quick stop en route to Machu Picchu, but since the arrival of Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba, that game has changed. The lodge, on 100 rolling-green acres and with its own onsite organic farm, is more the home of a friend than a hotel, where the staff not only welcomes you with a pisco sour in front of a roaring fireplace, but take you on guided tours of the neighboring villages and down Inca Trails that are—gasp—free of tourists. (On one trip, we saw a single villager and his donkey on a three-hour hike.) And after you down a cocktail (or two), visit the onsite chicheria (a local bar where men go to drink chichi) to learn the chicha-making process. It all comes with an unbeatable view of the Andes.

Intentionally designed to work with the natural beauty of the island, this resort is a luxurious extension of the surrounding nature. The Ocean Tropical Bures are air- and light-filled. It almost feels as if you are outside with the curtains all pulled back. High ceilings helped make the effect all the more dramatic. A private deck is surrounded by palm trees and island foliage. Native island elements and materials are used throughout to create a comfortable, luxurious space that felt like an extension of Fiji's natural beauty.

On Koh Kood, which is still pristine, Soneva Kiri is among the most exciting resorts in Southeast Asia. Guests land on a private airstrip on neighboring speck Koh Mai Si and then arrive via motor launch to a jetty jutting into a pretty cove. The resort sprawls over the island’s northern tip, and guests navigate the manicured grounds by electric cart. Virtuously constructed from sustainable eucalyptus logs, native bamboo, and treated pine, the 29 villas—some fronting a gorgeous private beach, others up on the hillside, and one Eco Villa implementing cutting-edge environmental design—are actually multi-structured complexes spacious enough for an entire family and appointed with a dressing area, a separate dining deck, indoor and outdoor showers, and a private infinity pool.

Located in the small, launching-pad town of San Pedro in Chile’s Atacama Desert, Tierra Atacama has a quality you don’t too often find in hotels: It encourages you to leave. That concept comes, of course, on the condition that you are spoiled upon your return. Using a self-proclaimed "adventure spa philosophy," the hotel organizes daily outings into the Atacama for each guest, including the cost of either a full-day or two half-day tours in the daily room rate. The rate is also inclusive of meals, drinks, and a nightly wine bar.

Located near the Santa Cruz Mountains, this secluded California-Craftsman resort is a solid favorite with readers. Spacious rooms come with fireplaces, leather chairs, Frette linens, and whirlpool tubs, while bungalows and villas on a hillside have private gardens or vineyard views. Play a round on the 18-hole championship golf course or take advantage of the spa facilities before tucking into some contemporary Californian cuisine at Il Vigneto. Hole up at the One Iron Bar, which has panoramas of the golf course, two fireplaces (one indoor, one outdoor), and a list of martinis.

You’ll spot giraffes, wildebeests, and lions during three-hour game drives at this remote game reserve with four luxury lodges. Selati Camp has a colonial feel, while Earth Lodge's furniture is made from uprooted trees. Dinners tend to be African barbecue dishes, but alternatives such as arugula with pine nuts and roasted peppers are also on offer.

A rebuilt 15-unit hacienda on 2,000 private acres in Tambopata, one of the Peruvian Amazon’s top natural reserves. More eco-lodge than rural farm—hand-carved wood everything, a double layer of tightly wrapped mesh screen, and Brazil-nut shells lining the walking trails.

The design credentials are incredible at this collection of three villas and a penthouse, back on Phuket at Natai Beach. No matter where you stay, you'll have a butler, driver, chef, spa therapist, and housekeeper to attend to your every need. Catalan-born Sandro Aguilera’s Mediterranean-inflected meals center on simple, clean, fresh, organic market-driven produce in a menu that rotates daily, and can be customized according to preference and dietary restriction. It's also only a 20-minute drive from the island's airport (with multiple, daily flights from across all of Asia).

At first glance, the price tag for a night at The Ranch at Rock Creek—upwards of $1,000 per person—is enough to make you do a double take. Dig a little deeper, though, and you’ll see that this luxury resort is worth it (and then some). All activities, meals, and most drinks are included in the rate, and the 25 accommodations, which comprise standard rooms, standalone log homes, and river-side cabins, are a welcome respite after a day of horseback riding, cross-country skiing, skeet shooting, fly fishing, and more across the 6,000-acre mountain playground.

This is the place to book if you dream of chilling by your stilted villa over the endlessly turquoise Maldivian water—but are way too restless to tolerate that level of lollygagging for very long. The turtle-shaped Velaa Private Island, a speck in the Noonu Atoll, somehow contains a José Maria Olazabal-designed golf academy with nine tees, six greens, seven bunkers, and a lake; a grass tennis court and squash court; and water sports from wakeboarding to kite surfing. The appetite you work up will have plenty of outlets, be it the pizza ovens at Athiri, or the Teppanyaki grill at Tavaru, a tall, tented structure that looks like a giant chrysalis (Velaa also has the largest wine and champagne collection in the Maldives). The Czech owners built the resort’s 45 wood-and-glass villas and residences, most with pools, to have plenty of privacy and to resemble sea turtles—a species you’ll be able to spot in person from the resort’s own mini submarine. One other nifty feature: The spa has the region’s only snow room, to boost circulation and quite literally chill you out.

Back when this hotel opened in 1995, there were few places in the Maldives to rival it. Landing here by seaplane felt like arriving at an escape cast out at the edge of the world. These days, neighboring lights are aplenty, but this pristine paradise still feels wild enough to instill excitement. The groundbreaking barefoot ethos created by husband-and-wife owners Sonu and Eva Shivdasani ensures immediate surrender. Explore the island by bike, stopping to bob, chat, and giggle in the warm ocean for hours. Seventy rustic, thatched-roof villas, each hidden in the jungle shade (no stilts over water here) are designed with pared-back simplicity: natural tones, soft textures, lots of driftwood. Each comes with the softest organic sheets, huge daybeds, private pools, hammocks, and a sound system on which to blare out Nat King Cole. There’s snorkeling, scuba-diving, surfing trips, and treatments in the spa (tension-soothing massages with lemongrass oil, rose-crystal lymphatic facials, a touch of Ayurveda). At the forward-thinking art studio, wine bottles are upcycled into sculptures. Food is central, with enough sushi to sink a ship, epic make-your-own salad bars, addictive egg appam, an ice cream parlor, a cheese room, and the new Out of the Blue restaurant, with slides straight into the sea. No wonder everybody here is beaming. One of the first luxe–but–laid-back hotels to open in the Indian Ocean, Fushi still delivers on fresh, cool charisma.

The most luxurious of El Nido Resorts' four Palawan archipelago properties, with 42 villas laid out along a white-sand cove facing the emerald Bacuit Bay on the South China Sea. A one-hour charter flight southwest from Manila brings you to a one-runway airport where you're welcomed by a group of singing ladies. Your luxurious hideaway (a quick boat trip from the airport) is a launchpad to the island biosphere gloriously featured in The Bourne Legacy. With scuba courses and access to more than 20 dive sites, as well as boat tours of mangroves and secret lagoons, you could spend all your time exploring, but the resort makes it equally tempting to stay put. There is a reef for snorkeling, 25 kayaks for guests' use, and a seemingly endless choice of lounging options.

The team behind Ceylon Tea Trails has opened its latest Relais & Chateaux resort on a 12-acre headland above Sri Lanka’s palm-lined southern coast. Between the on-site dive center and the infinity pool overlooking the Indian Ocean, it offers plenty of outdoor diversions. But you’ll also want to spend time in its 40 terracotta-roofed, butler-serviced villas, designed by Thai architect Lek Bunnag within stonewalled wattas, or gardens.

Consistently rated one of the best resorts in the U.S. by our readers, The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch—set on 30,000 acres amid the Sierra Madres—executes the luxury dude ranch concept with skill and style. Think spotted cowhide chairs in the lounge, fur throws at the edge of knotty wooden king-sized beds, and yurts decked out with antler chandeliers and leather couches. For an upscale group getaway, book the nine cabins that make up the Magee Homestead—it comes with its own concierge service.

The maximalist decor—animal prints, crystal, and ubiquitous statuary—may be over the top for some, but what Ol Jogi lacks in restraint it compensates for in its wholehearted commitment to conservation. The home of the Wildenstein family sits on 60,000 acres of wildlife conservancy in Northern Kenya, which you’ll have entirely to yourself. It harbors black and white rhino, giraffe, and zebra, which you can see on safari or ambling in front of the house’s wide terrace (there’s also a rescue center for rehabbing animals—baby ellie, anyone?). It’s the perfect spot for a group takeover or big birthday party, with plenty to do between game drives from horseback riding and fishing on Mount Kenya to a hammam-style spa and extensive cellar of wines that are served, fittingly, out of huge animal-stemmed goblets.

At this elegant, Oberoi-run retreat, spacious, magical, private tents are set between lemon and mango trees, with enclosed gardens, teak floors, claw-foot tubs, tiger motifs, and air-conditioning. Water and flowering trees make the place feel like an Old-World safari camp. The dining room serves Indian, Thai, and Western cuisine. Arriving guests can be greeted by elephants at reception, before taking in tigers, bears, leopards, and hundreds of bird species on twice-daily game drives. All this, an only a few hours drive south of Delhi.

The Big Five is the big draw across the continent, but at this family-friendly lodge on South Africa's fifth largest game reserve, you'll spot the Magnificent Seven. Yes, that means cheetah and African wild dog (an insider favorite for their strategic hunting abilities) are guaranteed to appear between sightings of hippo, rhino, and prides of lion. It's a fittingly spectacular viewing lined up alongside the camp's equally spectacular accommodations: three free-standing luxury villas, each uniquely designed. (Think lots of raw blond woods in the Farm House; stone fireplaces and sink-into-'em couches over at the River House; and a staff of eight, plus an infinity pool and African artwork at the Owner's Home). And unlike many of the lodges across the region, Wi-Fi is fast and available everywhere, meaning your 13-year-old won't have to wait until she's back in Johannesburg airport to upload her shot of leopard cubs to Instagram.

Here among wild fig and sausage trees, Vumburu Plains' two sections both have elevated dining areas and views of a wildlife-frequented watering hole—so if you're trying to get in on the action, you can't do much better. The design, which Traveler readers have noted appreciatively in past years, includes open-plan thatched-roof villas with kiaat-wood vanities and plunge pools. And get ready: the hotel guides help guests to see every animal imaginable.

So infused with traditional Goan design is the graceful, tile-roofed architecture, so massive and gnarled are the mango trees growing in its courtyards and gardens, that it’s not initially obvious that the Alila is in fact new. The public rooms and corridors, open-sided and high-ceilinged, draw in the lush surroundings, which are cooled by reflecting pools and fountains. Dramatic lighting makes the outdoor setting, which includes an infinity pool with partially submerged recliners overlooking rice paddies and bamboo stands, even more magical at night.

This golfers’ magnet provides plenty for those who think golf a good walk spoiled. A five-mile road winds through farmland and bush to the property, on a 6,000-acre peninsula abutting the Pacific, and from the moment of arrival every whim is catered to. The main lodge has soaring ceilings and rustic artifacts such as old farm tools, and while the 24 suites and a cottage are broadly based on farm dwellings, bathrooms have underfloor heating; the gym, a personal trainer; and the wine cellar, master tastings. Diversions beyond golf include ATVs and guided nature tours. The verdict? Well above par.

Kruger National Park is the crown jewel of South Africa’s parklands and game reserve, and the 33,000-acre private concession belonging to Singita is the crown jewel of Kruger. This area is the best of the best—in part because of the wildlife sightings but also because of the lack of vehicles (the land is exclusively crossed by guests of Singita Lebombo and Singita Sweni). The concession extends through four different eco-zones and happens to be prime rhino and big cat real estate.

This 219-room seaside Mulia in the southeastern tourist enclave of Nusa Dua is one of our readers' top resorts in Asia. The ocean is just steps away, though you may be inclined to linger at the one of Mulia's pools with a cocktail. With a spa, fitness center, and play area for kids, the resort offers a comfortable stay for singles, couples, and families alike.

The inimitable hotel designer Bill Bensley is a master of fabulation, and here on Kem Beach, on the southern shore of Phu Quoc, he has concocted quite the tall tale. The hotel’s design concept weaves a story around the fictional historic Lamarck University, an homage to the French evolutionary theorist, which was supposedly founded in 1880, then abandoned in the 1940s, and ultimately restored by Marriott. Although he takes the theme to extremes in the public spaces—including the Department of Chemistry (a bar lined with periodic tables), and the Department of Physical Education (the gym, obvs—there are trophies, too)—the effect doesn’t mute the ample luxury of the hotel’s 244 rooms and villas with sea views and private pools.

The seven-room Makanyi Private Game Lodge is full-on luxury with the feel of a family home—which makes sense, given its provenance. British owner Jessica Gold bought the private property and turned it into a safari camp last June, conforming to a classic aesthetic of thatched-roof villas in terra cotta tones, but avoiding the more formal, Out of Africa–style nod to colonial bush experiences. This place is relaxed, void of stodginess, and perfect for people looking for a more intimate experience.

Though just 30 minutes from the Danang airport, InterContinental’s flagship Vietnam property feels much farther away from the “real world.” Scattered from the lush hills of the Son Tra Peninsula nature reserve down to the sandy shores of the East Sea, the resort—which opened in 2012—has become one of the top picks in the country for relaxing getaways. While families tend to rule the resort, it's also a hit with couples and groups of friends, particularly those interested in cuisine and wellness. With all the space to spread out, it's usually not tough to avoid the kid zones when needed. From the ocean- or mountain-view rooms and suites to the penthouses and the multi-bedroom villas, the accommodations are awash in chic Modern Vietnamese style; meanwhile, dining is always a memorable experience at the resort. It's the perfect pick for some beachside R&R while in Vietnam.

After landing at the tiny airport in Puerto Maldonado in the Peruvian Amazon, a quick boat just thirty minutes up the Rio Madre De Dios brings you to this elegantly-appointed lodge in the heart of the jungle. It's located adjacent to the lush Tambopata National Reserve, an area rich in flora and fauna, known as the "biodiversity capital of Peru." It's a real-deal Amazon adventure that competes with lodges that are far less accessible.

It can be hard to make the Greater Kruger National Park—a popular destination for safaris that cover an area the size of Wales—feel exclusive, private, and intimate. But Royal Malewane, in Thornybush Private Game Reserve, manages to achieve that (and then some) with just six Luxury Suites, two Royal Suites, and the palatial six-bedroom, private chef-included Africa House. Twice daily game drives led by expert rangers far from Kruger's crowds, means you're almost guaranteed to be able to check off the Big Five before you leave.

Want to book a room with a view? Start at one of the 11 unique stand-alone bungalows at Bahia Vik—with two or three bedrooms each and filled with site-specific art—or one of 10 suites in the central building. With views of the sand dunes of Uruguay’s eastern coast, the resort offers a library, a games room (with ping pong), a spa, and gym, all thanks to art-collecting and wine-making power couple Alex and Carrie Vik. Sister property, Playa, directly next door was designed by Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott, and the beach property contrasts startlingly with José Ignacio’s modest, whitewashed cottages: Six light-filled two- and three-bedroom casitas, walled in glass and roofed with sea grasses, surround a titanium-and-glass main building. There you’ll find an additional four suites, a Zaha Hadid–designed molded acrylic bench, and a wall of pulsating light from artist James Turrell in a dining area overlooking the beach.

Chindeni's strength is its simplicity. Don't get us wrong—the camp's four large canvas tents, rustic with their stripped wooden floors, solar power, and assemblage of rattan chairs in the sitting areas are supremely comfortable, yet manage to channel the frontier days of safari travel, eons before the high design era spread across the savannas. You won't get short changed on game drive viewings across the plains, either (we guarantee you'll lose count of the number of elephants you spot 10 minutes in) and walking safaris are especially poignant for the birders out there. But for our buck, it's the views from the evening sundowners, taken on your terrace, overlooking the lagoon where herds of hippo wallow, that will stay with you long after you return home.

Ubud, set in the midst of dense hillside forests and seemingly infinite expanses of rice paddies, is in many ways the spiritual heart of Bali, also known as the"Island of the Gods." COMO Uma Ubud pays respect to that rich cultural tradition—with excursions available to witness temple ceremonies or gamelan performances, for example—while also opting for elements of contemporary interior design and sleek minimalist architecture. Individual plunge pools vanish into the surrounding fields, meticulously manicured courtyards dot the property, and the rooms are at once extravagantly luxurious and odes to the traditional mountain homes—private gardens and all—of the region.

The Royal Chundu commands a private stretch of the Zambezi River, located less than 20 miles upstream from the thunderous Victoria Falls, but expect pin-drop tranquility save the occasional cry of a native African Fish Eagle or frothy bubble of nearby rapids. Choose your hub: River Lodge, with its 10 Zambezi-facing suites suspended on stilts with an open deck, or rooms on Katombora Island’s Island Lodge flanked with baobabs and 2,000-year-old Jackalberry trees. Four-day yoga retreats on the riverbank, nature walks, and helicopter flights over Victoria Falls are just some of the activities on offer. Return after exploring the Zambezi to a dinner around the boma with Makishi dancers and traditional Zambian drums.

Although the Maldives isn't exactly hurting for luxury properties, Taj's Exotica Resort and Spa still manages to set itself apart from the pack. Occupying its own private motu, it's ideal for those craving peace and quiet, where villages with palm-thatched roofs and wood finishes on the exteriors and floors all come with panoramic Indian Ocean views. If you're not content to stay in bed all day, though, there are plenty of lounge-ready hammocks hanging on the beach, and activities like the sunset dolphin-watching cruise to keep you feeling like you're actually doing something. Deep End Restaurant offers top-notch dishes, focusing mostly on the tastes of Europe.

Options to relax outside of your tent here include a communal pool with loungers, hammocks amongst the trees and a library with plush brown leather sofas; alternatively, book an in-room spa treatment on your deck and zone out to sounds of the birds and the breeze. For those wanting alternatives for Big Five excursions beyond vehicle drives, Marataba offers a walking safari and a must-do water safari.

In 2013 Luke Bailes, founder of the renowned Singita safari lodges and camps, transformed his ancestral home, which is set on a private game reserve, into this retreat. The Cape Dutch charm, mullioned windows, antiques, expert safari guides, and longtime family staff remain—but the wine cellar, state- of-the-art kitchen, and full gym are all new.

Angama Mara, which opened in 2016 and sits on top of the Oloololo escarpment overlooking the Mara Triangle, comprises two camps. Each one contains 15 suites with canvas sides and tented roofs, but they also have glass fronts, giving you gobsmacking, 180-views of the savanna, whether you're lying in bed or taking a shower. This is no traditional safari set-up: the sleek, Italian-inflected design gives the place a bit of cosmopolitan flair, as does a pavilion with a library, shop, fitness room, and infinity pool—all while embracing the wild surroundings.

“There were a lot of fun hotels in Palm Springs, but there weren’t any great ones, and I wanted to change this.” So says Steve Hermann, the L.A.–based residential designer who spent two years (and millions of dollars) turning the historic William F. Cody–designed L’Horizon into a luxurious boutique hotel. Hermann didn’t alter the footprint much—the main house and most of the 25 bungalows were built in 1952 as a vacation spot for Hollywood producer Jack Wrather (Lassie; The Lone Ranger)—but he added an open-air spa and an alfresco restaurant and gut-renovated the interiors.

With only 19 expansive guest quarters in South Malé Atoll, this intimate resort provides a level of privacy and personal attention impressive even in the Maldives. Weathered-wood accommodations come with a private garden and an infinity pool, high-ceilinged interiors decorated in cane and tropical hues, and an open-air bathroom with L’Occitane products and a sea-facing tub for two. The Living Room’s dining spaces range from tables set around the all-glass wine cellar to cushioned Indian daybeds under the stars, and a fleet of dhonis adds onboard private dinners. Dedicated butlers, or VGCs (very good chaps), exceed expectations with quiet, smiling service. With a location only 30 minutes from Malé’s international airport by the hotel’s speedboat, Naladhu represents the Maldives’ most convenient exclusive destination yet.

Opened as Mar Adentro, Viceroy has taken over this stunning Miguel Ángel Aragonés-designed resort that's just minutes from town (San José del Cabo). Built from glass and concrete, the hotel has six different buildings for guest rooms, all offering unbroken views of the ocean beyond. All rooms feel like a dreamscape, with floor-to-ceiling windows and private outdoor space. Apartments even have rooftop pools. Decor is mostly white, with light wood accents, letting the stunning natural setting speak for itself.

Set in the so-called “Valley of Kings,” a short drive from the cultural hub of Ubud, this collection of luxuriously appointed villas will make you feel like you are one of the Balinese royals that give the lush region its name. It begins as soon as you enter: The-two tiered entryway to this resort is equal parts lobby and porch, and the design of the space is almost as grand as the views it offers guests. The open-air area is covered by a thatched roof and has lounge chairs for resting before going out, or simply for looking out over the palm tree grove and pool area at any time of day. Each villa offers views over the gorge below that will make it hard to leave your private balé. At the Lembah Spa, take in those same views while luxuriating in one of the many treatments that combine Western and local traditional techniques.